Padres to play record 37 exhibitions next spring

The Padres will play a franchise record 37 exhibition games next year during their 20th spring training in Peoria, Ariz.

Pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to Peoria on Feb. 12 with the first workout scheduled for the following day. Position players are scheduled to report on Feb. 15, with the club’s first full-squad workout on Saturday, Feb. 16.

The team will begin its 37-game spring schedule with the annual charity game on Feb. 22 against the Seattle Mariners at the Peoria Sports Complex. On March 14, the Padres will host a World Baseball Classic semi-finalist in an exhibition game prior to the WBC finals in San Francisco.

The Padres will televise 10 spring training games next year on Fox Sports San Diego, including key division match-ups against the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants.

However, as few as 15 spring training games will be broadcast by the club’s radio partners (1090-AM or 1700-AM). The Padres have traditionally broadcast a complete schedule of spring training games.

The exhibition season will end with two games against the Texas Rangers on March 29-30 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. San Antonio is the home of the Padres Double-A affiliate.

The Padres open the regular season with a six-game road trip to New York and Colorado starting April 1. The home season opens April 9 with the Dodgers visiting Petco Park.